Mapping potential distribution of slender loris subspecies in peninsular India

Abstract

ESR Endangered Species Research Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout the JournalEditorsSpecials ESR 7:29-38 (2009) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/esr00185 Mapping potential distribution of slender loris subspecies in peninsular India Honnavalli N. Kumara1, Mohammed Irfan-Ullah2,4,*, Shanthala Kumar3 1National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru (Bangalore), Karnataka, India 2Ecoinformatics Centre, Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE), 659, 5th-A Main Road, Hebbal, Bengaluru (Bangalore), Karnataka, 560 024, India 3Kumaragiri, Lakshmisha Nagara, Main Road, Chikmagalur 577 101, India 4Present address: Risk Management Solutions Inc. (RMSI), A-7 Sector 16, Noida, Uttar Pradesh 201 301, India *Corresponding author. Email: irfan26@gmail.com ABSTRACT: The present study mapped the potential geographic distribution of subspecies of slender loris Loris lydekkerianus from peninsular India. We utilized occurrence records of more than 300 confirmed sightings of slender lorises to model the species’ potential geographic distribution by applying an ecological niche modeling (ENM) framework using a desktop genetic algorithm for rule-set prediction (GARP) algorithm. Results indicate that the modeled potential distribution of a morphologically different and hitherto undescribed subspecies of slender loris is noticeably different in geographic space from the 2 known subspecies found within peninsular India. The potential geographic distribution of this subspecies appears to occupy a distinct and intermediate climate region running along the eastern fringe of the southern Western Ghats. Among the 2 known subspecies, the modeled potential distribution of L. l. lydekkerianus corresponds with a relatively drier climate, largely occupying deciduous and open-scrub forest types, whereas the modeled potential distribution of L. l. malabaricus corresponds with wetter climates, ranging from deciduous to evergreen forest types. The presence of an undescribed subspecies of slender loris demonstrates an urgent need for a detailed exploration within the range modeled by the present study. KEY WORDS: Ecological niche modeling · Loris lydekkerianus lydekkerianus · Loris lydekkerianus malabaricus · Primates · Western Ghats · Desktop GARP Full text in pdf format PreviousNextCite this article as: Kumara HN, Irfan-Ullah M, Kumar S (2009) Mapping potential distribution of slender loris subspecies in peninsular India. Endang Species Res 7:29-38. https://doi.org/10.3354/esr00185 Export citation RSS - Facebook - Tweet - linkedIn Cited by Published in ESR Vol. 7, No. 1. Online publication date: April 08, 2009 Print ISSN: 1863-5407; Online ISSN: 1613-4796 Copyright © 2009 Inter-Research.